Dredging apparatus



G. SMITH D REDGING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec.1924. 1,520,449

6. SMITH DREDGI NG APPARATUS Dec, 23, 1924.

G. SMITH DREDGING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 llln EaY l'l lllllli n mill" mac. 23, 1924 1,520,449

7 G. SMITH I DREDGING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4gwwnt 01 clun flaw attouwq ill Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

TES

FFICE.

GEORGE SMITH, OF BALTITEORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ELLICOTT MACHINE COR-PORATION, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

DREDGING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 24,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that GEORGE SMITH, a citizen ot' the United States, residingat Baltimore in the State of Maryland, has invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Dredging Apparatus of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved dredging apparatus and is moreparticularly directed to an improved construction of ladder for carryingthe cutter-head, suction pipe and the driving mechanism for the cutter.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved and novelconstruction of means for pivotally mounting the ladder, and leading thesuction pipe through one of the pivot mountings and to also pro videimproved means for sustaining the gearing with respect to the latter.

The invention is illustrated in the ac companying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1. shows the improved mechanism in top View.

Fig. 2. illustrates the same in side elevation.

Fig. 3. shows the pivoted end of the ladder and the driving mechanismfor the cutter-shaft on an enlarged scale and in top view.

Fig. 4:. illustrates the same in side elevation.

Fig. 5. shows another side view of the laddenpivot and the suction-pipeleading therefrom.

Fig. 6. illustrates the pivot-end of one of the ladder-arms as the samewould appear it viewed on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7. shows a vertical sectional detail through one trunnion-end ofthe ladder and suction-tube, and the bearing for the same,the sectionbeing taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of thedarts.

Fig. 8. illustrates a vertical sectional detail through the othertrunnion-end of the ladder and the bearing for the same, as the samewould appear if viewed on the line S8 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 9. shows in side view one of the bearing-supporting beams carriedby the ladder as the same would appear if viewed on the line 9-9 of Fig.3.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1923. Serial No. 653,465.

12, designates the deck of a scow to theedge of which there are securedtwo spacedapart brackets 13 and 14.

Each bracket is provided with the lower half of a bearing 15, while theupper halt 16 of each bearing is designed to be bolted to the lower halfin a well-known manner.

The bearings 1516 of each bracket 13 and 14: are designed to pivotallysustain the inner end of the ladder 17. This ladder is formed ofstructural steel, including the side beams 18 and 1.9 and thecross-beams 20 and braces 21. The side beams 18"].9 converge as theyextend away from the scow as readily seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The side beam 18 of the ladder carries a bracket-plate 22 at its innerend which plate has a circular bearing-head This head is provided on itsouter side with a sleeve 24, as shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings, whichsleeve [its in the bearings 15l6 and may be rotated therein. Theinterior of the sleeve 2% is of a. larger diameter at 25 than theinterior of the bearing-head 23 and a suction-pipe 26 has its endpassing through. the head and sleeve and car-- ries an enlargement 27which has bearing in the sleeve.

It will thus be understood that the enlargement 27 of pipe 26 is held inthe sleeve 24: of the head 23 and that the pipe, sleeve and head are allthus rigid with the bracketplate 22 and may be rotated in the bearings1516 of bracket 13.

In view of the fact that the end of pipe 26 must rotate whenever theladder 17, is swung as will presently be more clearly understood,provision is made to connect a rigid elbow 28 thereto by means of agland 29 and packing 30.

The suction pipe 26 extends forwardly along the ladder 17 from thebearing head 23 and terminates at the forward end of said ladderadjacent to a cutter-head or equivalent device, shown at 31.

The side beam 19 of the ladder carries a bracket-plate 32 at its innerend which plate is provided with a circular head 33 whose exteriorcircumference fits into the bearings 15 and 16 of bearing-bracket 1a.

The head 33 to all intents and purposes is the equivalent of a trunnionon the inner end of the ladder beam 19 because it fits side, and thesuction pipe 26 passing through this latter trunnion.

In practice, a cable (not shown) is attached to the eye 34, (shown inFig. 2) at the outer end of the ladder and by this means said outerladder-end is raised or lowered while the inner pivoted end of theladder will turn in the bearing-brackets 13 and 14 on the end of thescow.

Obviously, means must be provided to drive the cutter-head 31 at theouter end of the ladder and this means must be such as to permittheraising and lowering of the cutter-end of the ladder.

The cutter-head is carried at the outer end of a longitudinal shaft 35which extends from one end to the other of said ladder and is mounted inbearings 36 on the ladder.

The inner end of the shaft 35 carries a bevel gear 37 which latter, inthe present instance, is located centrally between the trunnion-ends ofthe ladder as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

From the ladder structure there are supported two spaced-apart bearings38 and 39 vrespectively. The bearing 38 is carried on the end of a beam40 at the inner end of the ladder, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 9 of thedrawings, while the bearing 39 is supported by a bracket 41 thatprojects from the inner side of the trunnion-head 33, as shown in Fl 's.6 and 8 of the drawings.

bviously, as the two bearings 38 and 39 are carried by structures thatare attached to the ladder, said bearings will swing as the ladder turnson its trunnions.

A horizontal shaft 42, is sustained by the ladder-bearings with its axisin alinement with the axis of the trunnions, and this shaft 42 carries apinion 43 at its inner end which meshes with the bevel gear 37.

Between the two ladder-bearings 38 and 39 the shaft 42 carries a gear 44which meshes with and is driven by a pinion '45, that is carried on oneend of a driving-shaft 46 which is carried in a suitable bracket 47mounted rigidly on the scow.

- The other end. of shaft 46 carries a large gear 48 which is driven bya pinion 49 on the shaft of a motor 50.

From the foregoing explanation it is to be understood that the drivingmechanism including the motor 50, pinion 49, gear 48 and pinion 45, iscarried on the scow while the driven mechanism, including the gear 44,

a shaft 42, pinion ,43, gear 37 and longitudinal shaft 35 is carried onand moves with the ladder.

Thus the ladder may be swung on its trunnions to a raised or loweredposition without disconnecting any of the gears,-the gear 44 simplymoving around the circumference of the pinoin 45, which drives it duringsuch swinging movement.

Having described my invention, I claim,-.

1. In adredging apparatus carried by a scow, the combination of a pairof spaced bracket members secured to and projecting from the scow, aladder structure, a pair of bracket plates'secured to one end of theladder, sleeves )rojecting from said bracket plates rotatably mounted insaid bracket members, a suction pipe carried by said ladder having anend extending through one of said sleeves, and a stationary elbow intowhich the end of said suction pipe projecting through said sleeveextends. V

2. In a dredging apparatus carried by a scow, the combination of a pairof spaced bracket members secured to the scow, bearing s supported bysaid bracket members, a

ladder structure, a air of bracket plates secured to said lad er,sleeves carried by said bracket plates pivotally mounted within saidbearings, a suction pipe carried by said ladder having an end projectingthrough one of said sleeves, and anelbow secured to said scow into whichthe projecting end of said suction pipe is rotatably associated.

3. In a dredging apparatus carried by a scow, the combination of bearingbracket members secured to one end of said scow in spaced relation, aladder device, a pair of spaced bracket plates secured to the inner endof said ladder device, said bracket plates being formed with a bearinghead having a sleeve extending axially thereof, said sleeves beingrotatably mounted in said bearing bracket members, a suction pipesecured to said ladder having an end mounted through and projecting fromone of said sleeves, and a stationary elbow with which the projectingend of said suction pipe is rotatably associated to provide a swivelingleak proof joint.

4. In a dredging apparatus carriedby a scow, the combination of spacedbearing brackets secured to one end of the scow, a ladder frame, platessecured to the inner ends of the sides of said ladder frame, abearinghead extending from each plate, a sleeve extending from each ofsaid heads pivotally carried by said bearing brackets, one of said headsand the adjacent sleeve having coaxialv bores of different diametersextending therethrough transversely to the sides of said ladder frame, asuction pipe carried by said ladder frame having its inner end extendingthrough the bores of said bearing head and the adjacent sleeve, saidpipe end being formed to conform to the diameters of the bores in saidbearing head and sleeve to prevent lateral inward displacement thereof,and a stationary elbow on said scow with which the projecting end ofsaid pipe is associated in leak proof relation.

5. In a dredging apparatus carried by a scow, the combination of aladder frame, bearing plates secured to the inner end of said ladder, abearing bracket carried by one of said plates bearing members on saidscow with which said bearing plates are hinged, a cutter head carried bysaid ladder frame, a shaft for rotating said cutter carried by saidframe, power transmission mechanism connected to said shaft, a bearingbracket secured to said ladder frame adjacent said bearing bracketcarried by one of said bearing plates, said bearing brackets supportingsaid transmission mechanism, and a source of power on said scow, saidtransmission mechanism being connected with said source of power to bedriven thereby in any position in which said ladder frame may bepivotally moved.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE SMITH.

